On February 9, 2017, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (Washington Commission) approved new avoided cost rates for Puget Sound Energy (PSE) after PSE abandoned its proposal to stop paying qualifying facilities (QFs) for capacity in certain years, and strongly encouraging PSE to enter into power purchase agreements (PPAs) with projects with delayed negotiations. [Read more…]
Oregon Commission Adopts Guidelines and Requirements for Energy Storage Procurement
January 11, 2017 By
In the final days of 2016, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (Commission) issued an order implementing House Bill 2192 (HB 2193) and setting the stage for energy storage in Oregon. The Commission’s order adopts: 1) guidelines for utilities to submit proposals for authorization to develop storage projects; 2) requirements for evaluating a utility’s system-wide storage potential; and 3) minimum competitive bidding requirements for energy storage procurement. [Read more…]
Oregon PUC Affirms PacifiCorp Power Costs
December 27, 2016 By
On December 20, 2016, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (Oregon Commission) approved PacifiCorp’s transition adjustment mechanism (TAM) filing, which sets its annual power costs and direct access stranded cost exit fees on customers that choose to purchase power from third party electricity service suppliers (ESS). The Oregon Commission essentially agreed with PacifiCorp on all major issues, rejecting recommendations by its Staff, industrial and residential customers, and an ESS. [Read more…]
Washington Commission Rejects Avista Rate Case
December 20, 2016 By
On December 15, 2016, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (Washington Commission) rejected, in a 2-1 decision, Avista’s proposal to increase electric rates by 7.6 percent and natural gas rates by 2.8 percent. Rather than reduce the utility’s rate increase, the Washington Commission took the unusual action of simply rejecting in its entirety by concluding that Avista failed to carry its burden to show that its current rates are not fully sufficient to meet its needs. [Read more…]
FERC Protects QFs in the Interconnection Process
December 20, 2016 By
On December 15, 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a declaratory order finding that the Montana Public Service Commission’s (Montana Commission) legally enforceable obligation standard is inconsistent with the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) and FERC’s PURPA regulations. FERC rejected the Montana Commission’s requirement that that a qualifying facility (QF) complete a facilities study or an interconnection agreement as a predicate for a legally enforceable obligation is contrary to PURPA. [Read more…]
